How F grade and I grade affect G.P.A. University of Buea (UB)

Many, if not all, freshmen of every university ask themselves questions like: How does "F" grade affect my G.P.A? what is an "I" grade? and such as these. This article discusses the issues involved.

The case study in question (UB) is one the author is very well familiar with but none the less it applies to many other universities and higher institutions of learning especially those utilizing the grade point system.


In the university of Buea's grading system, it is common to find grades "A", "B+", "B", "C+", "C", "D+", "D", "F", "I".

 What do these grades really mean?

Grades "C" right up to "A" are pass grades here written in increasing order of weight points. The best grade to have in UB is an "A" grade while the worst is an "F"

• How "F" grade affects my G.P.A?

"F" grade divides your  G.P.A. by 2. Doesn't sound mathematical? Try some computations and you will
see what am talking about. Just take arbitrary passed grades and calculate a G.P.A. with them and
then do so with one of these grades replaced by "F". Comparing the two G.P.A values so obtained
would bring you to a similar conclusion like me.

• How does "I" grade affect my G.P.A?

I grade is that grade given to a student who did not take an examination because of a justified ill health or some other just reason. This grade leaves your G.P.A unchanged and is there to let readers of your transcript know that you were supposed to take that exam but for some reason you were not evaluated for the course. However the "I" grade too is not geek friendly.

It is advisable for UB students who miss exams for reasons of ill health to apply for an "I" grade else they risk obtaining the butcher "F" grade.